Followers are well-known in the art and are used in order to assist in dispensing uniform items such as for example ammunition cartridges.
An example is illustrated in US 20110113663, wherein a special follower is disclosed, which follower is specially designed to avoid jamming as the follower travels in the magazine.
The follower is usually placed in the bottom of the magazine such that between the follower and the real bottom of the magazine a spring is arranged. The spring urges the follower away from the bottom such that cartridges arranged in the magazine will be forced typically upwards. As the magazine is inserted in a weapon/firearm the cartridges will be dispensed from the magazine and into the chamber of a firearm.
An example of a magazine including a follower of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,626. This magazine's follower is provided with a biased finger which in an upper position projects outside the magazine in order to arrest the bolt of the weapon. In this manner the empty magazine may be replaced. This particular follower-construction requires a special magazine and furthermore requires extra space below the follower in order to accommodate the spring biasing mechanism of the bolt catch finger. This mechanism does not allow the weapon to be fired before another magazine is correctly inserted into the weapon.
As the follower travels upwards through the magazine dispensing cartridges into the chamber the follower will, when the last cartridge is deposited in the magazine activate a bolt lock such that after the last cartridge has been fired, the bolt will be in its withdrawn position allowing the empty magazine to be replaced by a fresh magazine, i.e. a magazine loaded with cartridges.
The locked bolt or bolt catch function is used in a wide variety of weapons, collectively known as repeater type weapons.
When the first magazine has been emptied, i.e. the follower of the prior art is in its upper most position, there are no rounds to be fired from the weapon and as such during the time it takes to replace the magazine, typically 10-15 seconds, it is not possible to fire the weapon. Not until a new magazine has been correctly placed in the weapon and a cartridge introduced into the chamber, whereby the bolt catch function has been released, will it again be possible to fire the weapon.
In some instances these 10-15 seconds when replacing a magazine might be crucial. Usually, in combat other soldiers will lay down fire in order to provide cover while the magazine is replaced such that the weapon can again be active and carry out its function.